impulse overeating

The Trait That Makes You Susceptible to Overeating

And how to outsmart it even if you do have it

The Trait That Makes You Susceptible to OvereatingAnd how to outsmart it even if you do have it

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Being compulsive is great if you're paying attention to your form at the gym or reading over a report that needs to go to your boss's boss. But it might not be as beneficial when it comes time to sit down to dinner: A new study published in the journal Appetite found a link between a compulsive personality and frequent binge eating—to the point where researchers considered many of the compulsive types food addicts. There is a silver lining, though: The study didn't show a connection between food addiction and an obesity-level BMI.

"This type of person is unlikely to plan ahead and tends to make quick decisions with an immediate reward or gratification," says Stephanie Middleberg, R.D., a nutritionist based in New York City. "Many people with food addiction have lower levels of dopamine receptors—the brain chemical in charge of pleasure—so as a result they need to reach a higher level of reward in order to feel the benefits."